Fatal accidents in Epping, Merrimack on Friday; One crash results in DUI charge

Staff and correspondent reports

MERRIMACK — A Nashua man was arrested and charged with aggravated DUI following a fatal three-car crash on the Everett Turnpike in Merrimack on Friday night, police said.

According to a release from the New Hampshire State Police, the accident happened shortly after 7 p.m. Police said a Mitsubishi 3000 GT operated by Nghia Huynh, 37, of Nashua was traveling southbound and lost control, striking the center median concrete barrier and rolled over into the northbound travel lane.

A Hyundai Sonata operated by Bernd Elsner, of Germany, was traveling northbound at the time and hit the Mitsubishi. Elsner's car, in turn, was hit by a Ford Focus driven by Patricia Poliquin, 55, of Bradford.

Police said the impact from the Hyundai hitting the Mitsubishi resulted in the death of an identified young male passenger in Huyuh's car. The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. Huynh was taken to Elliott Hospital and Poliquin was taken to Catholic Medical Center to be evaluated.

At the hospital, police said Huynh was arrested and charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, a felony.

The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information may contact Trooper Thomas Conlon at 603-223-8490 or email at Thomas.Conlon@dos.nh.gov.

EPPING - One person was killed Friday night in a head-on crash on Route 125 just north of Route 87, police said.

In an unrelated incident, there was what police called a serious crash on the F.E. Everett Turnpike prior to the Bedford toll booth.

In Epping, police Capt. Jason Newman said a car traveling north crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a vehicle head-on in the southbound lane around 7:30 p.m.

The driver of the car that crossed over died at the scene, Newman said. The driver and a passenger in the vehicle that was hit suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a local hospital.

Newman said police aren't sure why the vehicle crossed into the other lane and that the crash remains under investigation.

Traffic heading north and south on Route 125 was being detoured onto North River Road.